I know I have a concrete paving stone fetish, but you COULD make that pathway sunken by 4-6 inches, and shovel the soil into the beds, raising them 1-2 inches. Then the walkway border could be 8" x 16" concrete paving stones set on edge.
That makes almost 8 fewer inches you would have to bend over when weeding! And it assures great drainage and aeration in the deep root zone.
